The Run-on Sentence

Don’t let The Run-on Sentence run away with your sentence correctness.  Complete sentences should never just run-on into each other to form extended sentences.  In order to be correct, complete sentences either need to be ended or they need to be properly joined together with the use of punctuation—but that’s the problem with The Run-on Sentence.  This hasty villain makes your first sentence run right past your punctuation and straight into the next sentence!  And, if you don’t watch your step, he’ll quickly make reading your stretched-out sentences seem like running a tiresome marathon.

EVIL POWERS: 

The Run-On Sentence makes you run past your punctuation.  After he’s finished, you’ll have extra long sentences that run on, and on, and on …

SUPER EXAMPLES: 

#1)

Gather the heroes together we’re going to attack in force.

Run-on: two complete sentences running together with no punctuation.

Gather the heroes together.  We’re going to attack in force.

Fixed by: adding a period and separating into two sentences.

#2) 

I can’t fly my powers are gone.

Run-on: two complete sentences running together with no punctuation.

I can’t fly; my powers are gone.

Fixed by: adding a semicolon to properly join into one sentence.

#3)

Follow my lead don’t fall behind.

Run-on: two complete sentences running together with no punctuation.

Follow my lead, and don’t fall behind.

Fixed by: adding a comma with a conjunction to properly join into one sentence.

 

#4)

You’ll never break those chains they’re made out of solid titanium even you don’t have that kind of strength.

Run-on: three complete sentences running together with no punctuation.

You’ll never break those chains.  They’re made out of solid titanium, and even you don’t have that kind of strength.

Fixed by: adding a period to separate the first two sentences, and then adding a comma with a conjunction to properly join the remaining two sentences into one. 

STOPPING THE RUN-ON:

Sometimes you need long sentences, and sometimes you need short sentences, but long or short, your sentences always need proper punctuation.  If you use the power of punctuation, you’ll be able to make correct sentences of any length, and you’ll always be able to stop The Run-On Sentence in his tracks!

What is Grammar?

We’d like to take a moment to share our definition of grammar with you.

grammar
gram·mar [gram-er]
-noun

• Grammar is the all-powerful set of super rules that help us make strong and correct sentences.  With grammar, we can use words, phrases, and punctuation to create powerful and effective sentences whenever we need them.